Fuquay-Varina The Wellspring November 2015 United Methodist Church Charge Community Conference November 3 Thanksgiving Meal We plan to prepare, package and deliver meals 7:00pm to the elderly, home-bound, and hungry in our community on Thanksgiving Day. Anyone Our annual Charge Conference has may join us at the church to dine together after been set for Tuesday, November the meals are prepared. Please visit http://bit. 3 at 7pm. This is the required ly/fvumc-thanksgiving, to see how you can annual business meeting where volunteer and what donations are needed. clergy salaries and lay leadership This meal relies solely on donations from nominations are approved. church & community members and local We will meet in room 117. businesses. Contact us at fvumcthanksgiving@ gmail.com or call 919-567-3419 (Jenn or James Akins) or 919-387-4512 (Tres Prince). Surviving the Holidays - Special Programs Offered by DivorceCareAbout and GriefShareGriefShare Ministries Wondering how you will survive the weeks surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas? Are you dreading GriefShare enables your church to offer ongoing weekly support groups for people who these holidays, knowing that everything has changed and that happy memories from past years can’t be recreated? FVUMC’s DivorceCare and GriefSharehave lost ministries a loved one. offer We help “Surviving you equip the a lay-led Holidays” team seminarsfor effective ministry to people especially for people for whom this time of yearin your is achurch challenge. and throughout Both programs your community. are free, nondenominational Through GriefShare, you can provide and open to people of all faiths, as well as thosebiblical, who Christ-centered do not practice hope a faith. that willYou help do not hurting have people to be rebuildpart of theira lives. DivorceCare or GriefShare group to participate. Everyone is welcome! Monday, November 2 Saturday, November 7 7-9pm in room 117 1-3pm in room 117 Program designed for those who are separated Our Surviving the Holidays seminar is especially and divorced. You’ll learn: for people who are grieving a loved one’s death. You’ll learn: • How to deal with the many emotions you’ll face during the holidays • How to deal with the many emotions you’ll face during the holidays • Helpful tips for surviving social events • What to do about traditions and other • Ways to give your kids a good holiday coming changes experience • Helpful tips for surviving social events • How to discover hope for your future • How to discover hope for your future 5 Will You Grow? Commitment Sunday — Pastor Gene Tyson On Sunday, November 15, we will celebrate “Will You Grow” Commitment Sunday in all three services here at FVUMC. During the services, members will be encouraged to complete their Estimate of Giving card for 2016. Biblical generosity is an opportunity for us as Christians to give back to God part of what God has provided to us and our families. It is an act of gratitude, worship and discipleship. This year we are challenged by our theme, “Will You Grow”? What exactly does that phrase mean to us as it relates to our own generosity? The Scriptures teach us that being generous with our financial resources is really a spiritual issue and not so much a financial issue. It is based on the understanding that faith is more important than finances and the quality of the gift is more important than the quantity. Yet, we are challenged to grow in our generosity no matter where we may be in our spiritual journey. • Will: This is a much different word than “can.” The word “can” implies ability, capacity or potential to grow. All of us can grow. The word “will” implies choice. That choice resides deep within us and is almost always directly linked with our walk with Christ. Ultimately, it is impossible to honestly profess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and not be generous people. • You: This word puts the focus squarely on each of us. This is not a “what about them” emphasis, it is a “what about me” emphasis. It is not about someone else’s decision – it is about my decision to grow. • Grow: This word addresses every person in our church, whether the most mature Christian, the largest giver, the smallest giver, the new Christian or anyone else in our church family. The growth itself stays between you and God. The emphasis for our church family is that we actively grow— choosing to be open to God, thankful to be in God’s care, and willing to give out of God’s blessings. Dr. James Harnish reminds us in A Disciple’s Path, “a biblical understanding of the relationship between our money and our faith begins not in what we do but in what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. We love because he first loves us. (1 John 4:19) We give because Jesus gave. (Titus 2:14). Our generosity is a finite response to the infinite generosity of God.” I look forward to seeing you on November 15 as we come to remember what God has done for us in Jesus Christ, remind each other of the wonderful promises of God, and recommit ourselves to be work of God through the ministry and ministries of Fuquay-Varina United Methodist Church. Grace and Peace, Pastor Gene Tyson [email protected] 2 Membership & Homemade Accountability “And though one might prevail against Hospitality another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 — Pastor Valerie Tyson Recently, I received an invitation to become a member at a big box store. I felt so lucky that In this little corner of the FVUMC world, we they chose me to be a member! Then, I read the are celebrating! The Greeting Team & Friends small print. After 90 days, I would have to pay a got busy with flour, sugar, butter and eggs and membership fee. baked our way into the Fall Festival! Tables were set up, leaves scattered about, Is there anything truly free these days? Probably and pumpkins strategically placed to anchor not. But we are willing to pay for membership. tablecloths from flying away in the breeze! It gives one a sense of belonging. Often, having a membership communicates that one shares Our homemade cakes, pies, brownies, cookies the vision and values of the place he or she is a and loaves were displayed, and as folks strolled member. by the Bake Sale, they just couldn’t resist People who have a membership at store X often purchasing one of the many yummy baked value low-priced goods. People who hold a goods to choose from. membership at a gym value health. Now, how By the time all was said and done, every often that gym membership is used is another single crumb had been purchased! story! Do you know that FVUMC has membership? You What are we doing with the proceeds? don’t have to be a member to attend Worship or A check for $400 plus will be given to participate in our Group Life. That is to say, we the Methodist Home for Children where practice open doors to all. You don’t need a card hospitality is offered by loving people to come to church and you don’t have to pay to children, youth and families in North membership fees. Carolina who desperately need their care. We do, however, expect all who desire to grow Thank you to all who generously donated in Christ to make tithing a priority. Tithing is their baked goods and their time in an effort important to God and it’s important to us. Our to contribute to this beautiful hospitable members uphold and live out certain values. ministry, the Methodist Home For Children. Prayer, presence, gifts, service, and witness are Thanks also to those who supported the practices that signify membership in FVUMC. Greeting Team Bake Sale by making a Membership in our community is a way we hold purchase! What a great way to love God, learn one another accountable to the basic practices God, serve God and share God! that shape our Christian life. Blessings, Valerie Tyson, [email protected] Matt Seaton, [email protected] Pastor of Welcoming & Congregational Care Pastor of Christian Formation & Missional Outreach “Then the king will reply to them, Interested in Joining? ‘I assure you that when you have FVUMC membership classes are being offered done it for one of the least of these starting Sunday, November 8 at 9:30 or 11:00 on the adult wing. The 4-week class meets 11/8-15 and brothers and sisters of mine, you finishes on 12/6. For questions, contact Pastor Matt have done it for me.’” Matthew 25:40 Seaton at [email protected] or 919-552-4331, ext. 103. 3 Thank Yous Thanks from Wake From the bottom of my heart, I thank each and County Human Services every person who prays for me, calls, visits, brings I want to acknowledge your outreach and food, provides transportation....for EVERY act of community service to the Cleary family. As a case kindness shown me and my children as our loving manager for this special needs child, I had contacted Heavenly Father continues to heal my body, mind several agencies regarding the need for a wheelchair and spirit. — Fran Sykes ramp for this child. One agency stated they would consider it but the family would have to use a daily A huge thank you to the dedicated volunteers who service which the child does not need at this time met over several weeks to clean our main kitchen! nor does the family desire at this time.